Private Industry is Quietly Laying the Foundation for India’s Future Amidst the COVID-19 Storm

“When India speaks of self-reliance, it does not advocate a self-centered system. In India’s self-reliance there is a concern for the whole world’s happiness, cooperation and peace,” – inspiring words by our Prime Minister Narendra Modi while addressing the nation this Tuesday.

He announced a 20 lakh crore economic package as India’s response towards battling the pandemic of COVID-19 and also as a cornerstone towards his aspirations of an ‘Atma-nirbhar Bharat’.

The Indian private sector seems to be inline with the Government’s ideologies and they are coming up with innovative solutions to not only curtail the effect of the Coronavirus but to also to lay a solid ground for India’s future in the times to come.

1. Education

Education is the backbone of any civilization, community or a country. At a time when schools and colleges are forced to shut down, these edtech apps are not only enabling them to function from the comfort of their homes but are also upskilling the work-force so that they can stay relevant to the demands of the current situation.

EduBrisk
EduBrisk, a brain-friendly educational solutions platform for schools and students has started a ‘Classroom to Virtual Classroom’ program that enables schools and freelance teachers to go live within 24 hours. They have invested in high-quality human resources to start this education program in India and have on-boarded 30 schools since the lockdown period. They are also planning to on-board 150 more schools within the span of next 2 months. GD Goenka Public School-Siliguri, QMS Schools-Kolkata, St Peters- Ernakulam, Al Ameen Public School-Kochi etc are a few examples of the schools taking virtual classes using EduBrisk’s platform.

IntelliPaat
IntelliPaat, an online professional training courses & certification platform is providing 12 free IT courses on their platform. The courses appeal to the youngsters looking for a bright career in the IT field and the ones who cannot afford expensive professional courses. They provide various learning/skill-building courses in Data Science, AI, Web Technologies, Cloud computing etc at a very nominal rate and also provide a certification that is valid across the globe.

2. Logistics

Logistics is the lifeline of any economy. It is responsible for the movement of raw materials, goods, agricultural products or even normal food deliveries. So, when the entire country is facing the lockdown these logistic players have stepped up the occasion in order to meet the daily requirements of the country, some have even altered their business models for doing so.

Lalamove
Lalamove, an on-demand logistics company is offering an uninterrupted service to the FMCG Companies where they are free to choose multiple locations and vendors at one go. The merchant or user of the Lalamove platform can add up to 20 drop-off points in a delivery order. They have tied up with FMCG brands like Marico Ltd, Amazon, Coca Cola, Tata Consumer Services, Himalaya, Godrej Consumer Products, UdaanFresh, UdaanMeat and Licious for meeting their delivery requirements.

72 Networks
72 Networks; a PAN India distribution house specializing in last-mile delivery is reaching out to rural areas for deliveries of COVID-19 protection kits & other essential items. They are delivering items like PPE Coverall, PPE – Gloves, Googles & Masks, PPE Kit, IR Thermometer, Sanitizer Spray, Anti-fog Face Shield, Biofresh Hand Sanitizer and Microtouch Nitrile Gloves across states like Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, West Bengal,  Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and Orissa.

3. Technology/Solution Providers

Desperate situations call for desperate measures and Indian IT & Tech industry has always been known for their product deliveries and innovative solutions. The COVID-19 pandemic has enabled them to create out of the box solutions that can revolutionise the future.

Ameyo
Ameyo, an Omnichannel Customer Engagement Technology provider has launched a video-based KYC for businesses to eliminate the need for physical KYC. The product is based on the latest RBI guidelines issued in Jan 2020. Their video KYC is an end-to-end solution with omnichannel capabilities of scheduling and reminding customers to complete the KYC process thus enabling brands to reduce the drop-offs by 20%.

OxyGarden
OxyGarden has introduced India's first Air Sanitizer that purifies and humidifies air naturally. Their patent-pending technology helps maintain the recommended ideal relative humidity levels for building an environment with the help of controlled transpiration in plants, innovative aerated growing medium and controlled photosynthesis with the help of automated airflow and growing lights.

4. Events/Awards

The sheer presence of crowd and energy is the soul of any event or award function. Though the original structure is not dying anytime soon but the COVID-19 has certainly forced the organisers to look for an alternate option.

Digital Jalebi
Digital Jalebi, an experiential design studio, has added a new dimension to their business model of creating virtual events in order to help the events/marketing companies to survive the pandemic. They have built an experiential platform to recreate how experience happens in the real world without the need for users to get out of the comfort of their homes. The platform is web based and runs on any browser of laptop and mobile phones.    

Onelife Nutriscience Expands Executive Team, Appoints Vinay Jain as Chief Operating Officer

Onelife Nutriscience, the leading Nutraceuticals Company, today announced the appointment of Vinay Jain to the role of Chief Operating Officer.

Vinay is a result oriented professional with over 18 years of versatile experience in sales, marketing and P&L management in both B2B & B2C (Consumer goods, Dairy, Wellness, Insurance & Industrial goods). Vinay has significant experience & track record of scaling up new ventures & managing large operations. With a unique blend of having worked in MNC, Indian FMCG & start-up, Vinay has thorough understanding of sales, marketing & commercial aspects of BU management and proven ability to drive results through a collaborative team work & cross functional engagements.

Vinay has successfully led high performing diverse teams and directed operations to maximize growth and profitability. Prior to joining Onelife, Vinay has been associated with reputed Companies like Parag Milk Foods Ltd., Amway India Enterprises Pvt Ltd and Foseco India Ltd

Commenting on the appointment, Mr. Gaurav Aggarwal, Founder of Onelife Nutriscience said "We are quite excited to have Vinay at the operational helm as we continue to expand aggressively and broaden our customer base.  Vinay joins at a time when the ongoing pandemic has resulted in sharp demand for preventative healthcare products and in line with the same trend, Onelife has also seen significant traction post relaxations on the business restrictions. We are confident that Vinay will add tremendous value to the company going ahead leveraging his strong experience in the FMCG / Wellness Industry”.

About Onelife:
Onelife Nutriscience Pvt. Ltd. (”Onelife”) owns the consumer healthcare brand “Onelife – Live it right”. Onelife has over 100 products in the nutrition, wellness and beauty space with presence in more than 15 cities across West and North India. Onelife has recently raised Pre-Series A funding of INR 50 Mn from a group of HNIs from Pharma / Healthcare & Chemicals Industry.

COVID 19 Effect: Suspension of IPL 2020 is Big Setback to Athletes and Supporting staff, As it's Important Source of Livelihood for Many

By : Mr. Yeragaselvan Kumarasamy, Founder & CEO, Run Adam (an omni-channel sports-aggregation platform) https://runadam.com/

Change is an incessant constant and the Covid-19 pandemic is undoubtedly a marker for a major change in all aspects of life, of methods of living and working and of lifestyles. Hit hard by the lockdown imposed across India due to the pandemic  the sporting fraternity too will need to incorporate many changes that will have long term implications on the way games are played.

There is a lot talked about how many sections have been affected by the pandemic. However, not much attention has been paid towards sportspersons, athletes, coaches and their supporting staff including nutritionists, physiotherapists, sports psychologists right down to groundsmen who have not only hit hard by the lockdown imposed across India due the pandemic but the effects of it are very damaging for them in many ways.

The huge fear that they face is not being able to do what they love to do and that is playing the sport. The situation is quite challenging especially for competitive athletes who have been training hard for years to participate in global events like Olympics etc. For these people lack of activity is a major challenge as their entire day is mapped out for every minute right from when they wake up to the minute they go to sleep.

Thousands of athletes have had to put their dreams on hold following the lockdown the stress of the delay could take a toll on the mental health of athletes. Health experts warn that prolonged isolation could take a big mental toll on people whose livelihoods and self-esteem are intrinsically linked to the competition.

Along with these athletes, a lot of other people too are equally involved and are in a shock phase, probably confused due to all the chaos that the situation has caused. They see themselves as athletes and are very tied up in their involvement with the sport and their inability to participate in training activities they find themselves in a hopeless position.
Coaches and psychologist who work with professional athletes are worried about their coping strategies one is the competitive edge that they have and the other being able to really push themselves physically for six-seven hours a day. They don't that anymore, which is making it very difficult for all concerned.

Many sports bodies have reacted by offering support to these athletes and their supporting co-workers. However, for some sporting associations due to other priorities, these sports bodies also have to make spending cuts reducing their ability to help.

The big setback came with the BCCI announcement to suspend IPL 2020 until further notice in the wake of COVID 19 outbreak and subsequent extension of lockdown till May 3rd by Indian Government.  It has had a major impact on players & fans.
Being deeply connected with athletes, the IPL is not only an important source of livelihood for many thousands and the potential loss is having a huge impact on those associated with it.

The high-level, high-profile professional athletes can handle this loss of income but there are a lot of athletes on the fringe. For the supporting staff, a few months of loss of activity will have a significant loss of income as well as their well-being.

The government must extend support to all those supporting the athletes in this critical time or increasing private sector participation by allowing incentives under CSR scheme to those supporting sporting activities or making it attractive for them to contribute to a sports body through tax breaks.

Currently, the supporting staff is faced with a daunting challenge of staying relevant in their respective sport even as they stare at a bleak future.

A certain economic downturn and its potential fallout is looming as many are facing uncertainty about the year ahead. The only positive is that there is some predictability that big events like IPL and T20 World Cup might actually take place after some rescheduling.

The government should consider permitting training and allied sporting activities with strict implementation of the social distancing and hygiene norms. Many associations are requesting the government to allow these in low-exposure-risk areas, even if the lockdown has been extended with a plan to gradually exit in phases.

The short and medium-term changes have affected everyone across the sporting world. Adopting the right attitude is a key underlining factor that will determine the ease of change and its effectiveness. It is critical that we have confidence in the future. Half the battle needs to be won in the mind. Positivity will beget the right decisions and hopefully, everything will return to what it was before the global coronavirus pandemic hit the sporting world.

Columbia Pacific Communities Unveils its Second TV Commercial on Community Living for Senior Citizens

To promote community living as a concept for senior citizens, Columbia Pacific Communities, India's largest senior living community operators unveiled a new promotional campaign for Tata Sky viewers. The new TVC highlights why community living is the future for seniors in India. It aligns with the brand purpose of positive ageing and clearly positions the offering as “serviced residences for seniors” differentiating it from old age homes.

The 40-second film is targeted towards the viewers of ‘TATA Sky Seniors’ a channel that caters to an older audience  who are progressive and positive in their thoughts and actions. The TVC has been designed and conceptualised to bring out the small and big things that make community living a truly wholesome, fulfilling, safe and positive experience. In times of crisis, seniors living in a community are much better looked after and protected than those living independently.  The campaign urges senior citizens to enjoy their golden years being independent and worry-free.

Highlighting the concept of the TV campaign, Piali Dasgupta, Vice President, Marketing, Columbia Pacific Communities, says, "Our month-long campaign on Tata Sky Seniors is an ode to the idea of community living, and what it truly means to live in a happy and energising community in your golden years. It’s no secret that loneliness is the biggest killer amongst seniors; a self- sufficient community and with like-minded people is the biggest antidote to isolation and loneliness in one’s advanced years and the secret to ageing positively. Besides, in extraordinary times like this, a community stands for you.

This TVC will always be special because it was conceptualised and scripted by our creative agency Famous Innovations and produced in house using stock images while adhering to social distancing and quarantine norms.” 

In a span of 40 seconds, the TVC showcases the brand ethos of positive ageing. The film celebrates the idea of a healthier, happier, worry-free, independent and more purposeful future for seniors who choose to live in a community of like-minded people. Thereby encouraging them to opt for India’s first senior living community designed to international standards, The Virtuoso Club and Serviced Residences, Bangalore.

The TVC will go live on TATA Sky Seniors channel from May 15, 2020.

Industry leaders Discuss Rebuilding Business in the New Reality at Microsoft Envision Forum

Industry leaders from BFSI, manufacturing and retail sectors deliberated on the need for innovation and real-world digital transformation to reimagine businesses in the new reality at the Microsoft Envision Forum today. Senior executives and experts discussed the current challenges facing different industry verticals and also shared best practices they have adopted for employee safety and business continuity. Anchoring the dialogue at the first ever virtual edition of Envision, Microsoft reiterated its commitment to enable every organization to sustain, innovate and grow its business.

In the keynote session Anant Maheshwari, President, Microsoft India and Aarthi Subramanian, Group Chief Digital Officer, Tata Sons analyzed how the COVID-19 pandemic has triggered digital acceleration and the role that it  will play in rebounding and building resilience in a fluid and evolving environment. Calling for a collaborative effort, Maheshwari said, “COVID-19 has changed our businesses, communities, industries and world forever. No one company is going to solve a challenge like this alone, and it is going to take the private and public sectors working together to turn the tide on COVID-19. Our priority has been to keep our employees and communities safe; support frontline workers as well as help our partners and customers keep their businesses running. As we continue to work through the current situation and plan for the future, it’s clear that the change required is enormous – as is the potential opportunity across industries. Technology will play a stronger role than ever before - enabling economic recovery and helping each one of us achieve more.”

According to Ms. Subramanian, COVID-19 will accelerate the scaling of digital across industries and investments in Cloud, AI and cybersecurity. “Digital transformation in companies will focus on new end-to-end customer journeys and we will see an increase in adoption of automation in manufacturing industries. They will also invest in enhancing employee engagement given the remote working model.  Enterprises will build world-class digital infrastructure as a horizontal capability," she said.

Maheshwari added that technology will play a major role in management of social sector programs across education, health, and public distribution, helping to strengthen the economy. He also called out the need for robust security solutions and trust as organizations build tech intensity for a new future. 

Intelligent manufacturing for a better future: As manufacturers cope with fluctuating supply and demand and disruption in production, they are reconfiguring their production, supply chains, and services to stay operational and sustain deliveries in these unprecedented times. Mayur Danait, CIO, Pidilite, said, “Manufacturing has always been a traditional business but post COVID, the sector will have to reinvent to enable a seamless partner ecosystem. Use of IoT to drive shop floor efficiencies and the use of digital collaboration, predictive analytics, bots and gamification of experience to drive engagement with end-users and channel partners are likely to be the norm going forward”.”

Reimagining the retail industry after the lockdown: Over the last couple of years, technology has enabled retailers to transform every aspect of the value chain. With the novel Corona virus crisis, the sector is trying to steer through major health and safety concerns for their employees, mandated store closures, drastic shifts in demand and evolving customer needs. Sanjay Bhattacharjee, Head – CRM, Titan Company Limited, said, “There has been a paradigm shift in consumer mindset - from retail therapy to the inability to step out from home to physical distancing. The way customers shop has and will change dramatically, and this is the new reality in which we all have to function now.  How brands are interacting and engaging with their customers makes a lot of difference.  Going digital is the key to enable a virtual experience for customers - right from viewing products on the app to booking a product to its delivery. Through remote communication platforms, retail brands have the opportunity to establish a deeper connect with the buyer community than before.”

Rebuilding the financial services sector post-COVID: Banking and financial services providers have adjusted operating models and services to support customers and help those who need the most assistance, while meeting regulatory and compliance obligations. According to Anoop Mahapatra, Deputy Managing Director, State Bank of India, “SBI has been playing a pivotal role in the country and over the past decade the bank has been investing heavily in building an robust IT ecosystem to digitally transform the banking experience at SBI. It facilitated running the entire ecosystem seamlessly even during a difficult time such as now. Our 22000 branches and network of 58000+ ATMs are working seamlessly on a robust IT platform. Around 90% of the total transactions go through anytime channels i.e. other than branch channel and as such the post COVID impact on customer service is insignificant. Although there has been some drop in loan requirements, to overcome this SBI has a strong end-to-end AI/ML platform with number of AI based pre-approved loan products, to provide loans with ease and we hope the traction for the same will be built up in the coming days.” The State Bank of India has also leveraged Microsoft Teams for its large workforce to stay productive and collaborate while working from home. 

A key focus of the conference was the importance of reskilling the workforce as employees and organizations shift gears for the road ahead.

Responding to Covid-19 in India together

As India and the rest of the world respond to the Covid-19 outbreak, Microsoft has been working to do its part by ensuring the safety of its employees. The organization is striving to protect the health and well-being of the communities in which it operates, in addition to providing technology, solutions, tips and resources to businesses of all sizes and complexities to stay productive and help people to work and learn remotely, while they stay safe and connected. 

Legrand India to Facilitate “Quarantine Centres to Support Healthcare” Infrastructure

Details

* Legrand India to support initiatives across India to aid the country’s fight against COVID-19
* Legrand India to provide over 2000 beds for hospitals & healthcare facilities and 2.6 lakh PPE kits to electricians, journalists (Chennai Press club), NGO health workers, drivers community & police officials

Legrand India, a global specialist in electrical and digital building infrastructure has initiated supporting the local Govt. in the creation of quarantine centres and isolation wards in Kolkata, Odisha and Chattisgarh.  They are working with various government stakeholders across the nation with electrical products to be used for creating isolation wards and quarantine centres.

One of the key focus areas of Legrand India is healthcare when it comes to giving back to the society. Legrand is also supporting govt. hospitals & quarantine centres with disposable isolation beds as a proactive step to facilitate to accommodate the migrant returns in the respective districts’ quarantine facility. The team has enabled support through its electrical products such as protection devices, wiring devices and UPS for hospitals and healthcare facilities countrywide which will house over 2000 beds and intensive care facilities for COVID-19 patients.

With Healthcare as focus, the company is providing PPE to doctors and medical staff in Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Delhi and Kerala to support the frontline workers in their fight against COVID-19. 

Legrand has been conducting various activities across the nation to support several communities in the battle against Covid-19. To fight against the pandemic, apart from healthcare, Legrand India has provided 2.6 lakh personal protective equipment to electricians, journalists (Chennai Press club), NGO health workers, drivers community & police officials.

Speaking on the Covid-19 support, Mr. Tony Berland, Managing Director and CEO, Group Legrand India said, “As a socially responsible organisation, we at Legrand have always put health and safety at the forefront, be it for our employees or the society at large. We saw the arising need for infrastructural support for isolation wards & quarantine centres across the country and as a specialist in electrical and digital building infrastructure, we are working with government stakeholders  to bridge the gap and fulfil the need to the maximum possible extent.” He further added, “I feel proud to be a part of an organization where PEOPLE and COMMUNITY are the key focus area”.

About Legrand Group in India:

A global specialist in the electrical & digital building infrastructure, Legrand is a Euro 6.0* billion group based in   Limoges, France.   The group has manufacturing facilities in 90 countries and   its products   are   sold   in   over   180   countries.   Globally, Legrand is a leader   in wiring    devices    and    cable management with a global market share of over 20% and 14% respectively. Legrand also enjoys leadership positions in at least one of its major business areas in a number of countries including France, Italy, Russia, Brazil, Mexico, China, and of course India.

Legrand India offers a wide range of products in the categories of Energy distribution, Wiring devices, Home    Automation, Structured    Cabling, Lighting Management    Solutions, Cable Management    and Industrial application products. It is an undisputed leader in MCBs, RCDs and DBs and a strong No. 2 in wiring devices Apart from this, the company also holds a leading position in Home Automation, MCCBs and Cable management systems.

The company’s geographical reach, across market segments, caters to  new  requirements  of customers with smart  solutions  that  make  Legrand  a  multipolar  group.  And this multipolar nature, and the global philosophy of Listen, Design, Make and Support has enabled it to provide innovative and smart solutions. Legrand’s products are amongst the top in the market and have undisputable brand equity.

Legrand products and services comply with the three criteria of  simplicity  –  simplicity  of  use, simplicity  of  installation  and  simplicity  of  distribution  -  which  enable  the  company  to  quickly penetrate new markets. With an employee base of over 1000 in India, the company is  fast emerging   as   a   leader   in   its   core business by extending products and services that suit every segment in the local market.

Headquartered in Mumbai, Legrand operates across India through 26 offices, 600 stockiest, 11500 retail outlets with three state-of-the-art manufacturing units, seven training centers and two R&D   centers.   Technological   innovations, simple   and   rapid   product   combinations   to   form communicating systems, clever installation ideas etc. are the focus of the R&D team at Legrand.

Tendercuts Registers 300% Growth During the COVID-19 Lockdown

TenderCuts, a tech driven omni-channel Meat & Seafood Company; shared that it has registered almost 300% growth during the COVID-19 lockdown period. The company currently serves around 5,00,000 customers across Chennai and Hyderabad. 15% of these customers are super-customers (people who order every day) and around 3,00,000 customers order once every week.

The company witnessed a big spike in demand as many customers started switching to meat and seafood brands which was perceived hygienic. The company has also introduced Contactless Retail- a one of its kind service amongst meat & seafood retail at its stores recently. The service is part of the company’s initiative to mitigate the ongoing COVID-19 crisis across the country with focus on ensuring health and safety of its employees and customers. It ensures stringent quality right from its procurement to the sales. The company encourages ethical farming practices that brings the customers chemical-free and preservative free produce.

Talking about the same, Mr. Nishanth Chandran, Founder and CEO, Tendercuts said,” COVID-19 has created a positive movement for the company. The customers who would have taken several years to switch to hygienic chicken, mutton and seafood brands, post-pandemic we feel that the change in consumer behaviour is happening at a much rapid pace. We generally used to see more sales during weekends especially on Sunday before the lockdown, but post the lockdown came into effect, the sales have been spread evenly across weekdays which is a new trend observed by us.

He further added, safety of our customers, employees and delivery partners has been our utmost priority and during this lockdown period we have strengthened it by implementing new SOPs to keep them safe.”